Alberta Premier Rachel Notley speaks to media before the Speech from the Throne, in Edmonton on Thursday, March 8, 2018. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says she will soon be heading to Toronto and New York to rally support among business leaders for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Alberta premier heads to Toronto, U.S. to build support for pipelines

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says she will soon be heading to Toronto and New York to rally support among business leaders for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion

Notley also had a few choice words for Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee.

“Recently, (Inslee) said he opposed Trans Mountain,” said Notley. “This from a state that welcomes hundreds of (oil) tankers a year from its ports in Alaska.”

The British Columbia government has said it is concerned about the ramifications of oil spills from increased tanker traffic, and has been fighting Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain project.

Inslee has said they share that concern over tanker spills.

The Trans Mountain line would triple the amount of oil flowing from Alberta to Burnaby, B.C.

Notley has said the pipeline expansion, which has been approved by Ottawa, is critical for Alberta to get a better price for oil in overseas markets.

Pipeline bottlenecks and increased transportation costs by rail are also reducing the price Alberta heavy oil can fetch on the North American market.

Trans Mountain has faced permit delays and multiple court challenges in B.C. Notley said her government will pass legislation this session to give her the authority to reduce the amount of oil flowing to B.C. if that province continues to stall the pipeline.